february, otherwise known as "spring"
I don't think I looked at my February goals even once during this month.
February Goals
Schedule a bike fit. Was refit twice this month, and I'll be doing it again at the beginning of April.
Don't buy any more beer (fridge is full, folks, I'm not losing my mind). Check! Beer supply is dwindling.
Keep doing the buy-a-mystery-veggie-and-cook-it thing. I think we did this a few times.
Buy another pair of dress pants. I bought TWO pairs, but one pair is being returned. Obviously.
Do a long run without music (maybe). Did lots of running without music.
Take pictures and post the crank for sale (anyone want it?) on ST. Crap.
Do a few more clean-out-the-pantry weeks. We're in the midst of this right now.
What can I say? There was swimming, there was biking, and there was half a month of running. I'm not sure when exactly I decided to love swimming, but there it is. I really look forward to my scheduled swim workouts and have been getting in the pool at least one or two extra sessions every week, just for some more time in the water. I've been reading and watching a lot of videos about swimming lately, and there is one common theme. Want to get better? Swim more. That's it, so that's what I'm trying to do. When a workout shows up that only starts with a 2 or a 3, I'm disappointed (but not too much, because that usually means it's going to hurt). There have even been days where I've done my swim workout in the morning, and by 7pm, I'm longing to head back over to the pool. Crazy? Probably, but I just can't get enough.
February is always a weird month for cyclists, but here in DC we've been blessed with an early spring (let's see if I'm still saying that after five solid months of explosive pollen). I did quite a few rides outside, and while an early spring makes for a windy ride, it sure is better than being in the basement. I've been trying really hard to adjust my attitude towards riding in the wind lately, and it's starting to be okay. It will never stop being frustrating, but I think I'm becoming a lot calmer and accepting about it. It's a theme that I'm trying desperately to hang onto - I can only do the work that I can do, especially in light of missing two solid weeks of run training. Every workout has a purpose, even if it's "easy slog," so I need to just keep going out, doing my damnedest to keep my heart in the right place, process the results and then discard and move on. Being angry about where my training is right now is completely counter-productive, and a lesson that I'm glad to finally be starting to learn at the grand old age of 31. It would be easy to be angry about the set-backs that have happened on the run and how weak I feel on the bike right now, but I'm not going to. I've got just under four months until CdA and I need to treat my body right. Go hard, go easy, recover, eat right, sleep, stop eating icing out of the can, compression, legs up, all that stuff. More importantly, put my brain in a good place and try to hold it there, to rides the ups and downs of training against the ups and downs of life. It's all I can do.
I'm still hoping that March will bring my first race of the year - the National half marathon. My PT seems to think that I'm going to bounce back pretty quickly, and I'm desperately hoping that he is right. I've love to be able to race the half, but I'm not sure that is in the cards for me. The poet is running the full, so there is an opportunity to run some of it with him instead of racing, and that might just be the perfect solution. And will I be sad for a second that I don't get to race my brains out? Sure. Disappointment will be present, but it's just another blip. What's more important is that I heal completely. I've got my eyes on the long-term prize, and this year, that isn't running balls-out at a half marathon. This year is about putting my head down and working hard. This year is about going after something that is a lot bigger than me, something that is changing my life even now, months before I pull on that wetsuit and walk into the water.
February
Miles run: 62.8
Rest days: 2
Sexy new bike shoes: 1 pair
Frozen yogurt trips: 1 (significant improvement)
New bathing suits purchased: 2
New bathing suits purchased with unfortunately insignificant rear coverage: 1
Laps spent with giant wedgie & one cheek uncovered due to said suit: 3
Epsom salt baths: at least a dozen
Times I've said, "stop eating my arm, I'll pet you!!": at least 400
Times I was not talking to a dog when I said it: possibly 3
March Goals
When the alarm goes off, do not check email/read twitter/read blogs for 45 minutes before getting out of bed.
Stop apologizing about the bikini wax/leg hair situation to Dr. Paul (and maybe do something about it?).
Buy a real desk chair.
Get off the elliptical and back on the road completely.
Learn how to cook dinner that does not involve cheese.
Stop stalking other people's training while in a funk. It never helps.
Paint the upstairs bedroom.
Ask the poet to come and videotape my swim stroke.
What are your goals for March?
February Goals
Schedule a bike fit. Was refit twice this month, and I'll be doing it again at the beginning of April.
Don't buy any more beer (fridge is full, folks, I'm not losing my mind). Check! Beer supply is dwindling.
Keep doing the buy-a-mystery-veggie-and-cook-it thing. I think we did this a few times.
Buy another pair of dress pants. I bought TWO pairs, but one pair is being returned. Obviously.
Do a long run without music (maybe). Did lots of running without music.
Take pictures and post the crank for sale (anyone want it?) on ST. Crap.
Do a few more clean-out-the-pantry weeks. We're in the midst of this right now.
What can I say? There was swimming, there was biking, and there was half a month of running. I'm not sure when exactly I decided to love swimming, but there it is. I really look forward to my scheduled swim workouts and have been getting in the pool at least one or two extra sessions every week, just for some more time in the water. I've been reading and watching a lot of videos about swimming lately, and there is one common theme. Want to get better? Swim more. That's it, so that's what I'm trying to do. When a workout shows up that only starts with a 2 or a 3, I'm disappointed (but not too much, because that usually means it's going to hurt). There have even been days where I've done my swim workout in the morning, and by 7pm, I'm longing to head back over to the pool. Crazy? Probably, but I just can't get enough.
February is always a weird month for cyclists, but here in DC we've been blessed with an early spring (let's see if I'm still saying that after five solid months of explosive pollen). I did quite a few rides outside, and while an early spring makes for a windy ride, it sure is better than being in the basement. I've been trying really hard to adjust my attitude towards riding in the wind lately, and it's starting to be okay. It will never stop being frustrating, but I think I'm becoming a lot calmer and accepting about it. It's a theme that I'm trying desperately to hang onto - I can only do the work that I can do, especially in light of missing two solid weeks of run training. Every workout has a purpose, even if it's "easy slog," so I need to just keep going out, doing my damnedest to keep my heart in the right place, process the results and then discard and move on. Being angry about where my training is right now is completely counter-productive, and a lesson that I'm glad to finally be starting to learn at the grand old age of 31. It would be easy to be angry about the set-backs that have happened on the run and how weak I feel on the bike right now, but I'm not going to. I've got just under four months until CdA and I need to treat my body right. Go hard, go easy, recover, eat right, sleep, stop eating icing out of the can, compression, legs up, all that stuff. More importantly, put my brain in a good place and try to hold it there, to rides the ups and downs of training against the ups and downs of life. It's all I can do.
I'm still hoping that March will bring my first race of the year - the National half marathon. My PT seems to think that I'm going to bounce back pretty quickly, and I'm desperately hoping that he is right. I've love to be able to race the half, but I'm not sure that is in the cards for me. The poet is running the full, so there is an opportunity to run some of it with him instead of racing, and that might just be the perfect solution. And will I be sad for a second that I don't get to race my brains out? Sure. Disappointment will be present, but it's just another blip. What's more important is that I heal completely. I've got my eyes on the long-term prize, and this year, that isn't running balls-out at a half marathon. This year is about putting my head down and working hard. This year is about going after something that is a lot bigger than me, something that is changing my life even now, months before I pull on that wetsuit and walk into the water.
February
Miles run: 62.8
Rest days: 2
Sexy new bike shoes: 1 pair
Frozen yogurt trips: 1 (significant improvement)
New bathing suits purchased: 2
New bathing suits purchased with unfortunately insignificant rear coverage: 1
Laps spent with giant wedgie & one cheek uncovered due to said suit: 3
Epsom salt baths: at least a dozen
Times I've said, "stop eating my arm, I'll pet you!!": at least 400
Times I was not talking to a dog when I said it: possibly 3
March Goals
When the alarm goes off, do not check email/read twitter/read blogs for 45 minutes before getting out of bed.
Stop apologizing about the bikini wax/leg hair situation to Dr. Paul (and maybe do something about it?).
Buy a real desk chair.
Get off the elliptical and back on the road completely.
Learn how to cook dinner that does not involve cheese.
Stop stalking other people's training while in a funk. It never helps.
Paint the upstairs bedroom.
Ask the poet to come and videotape my swim stroke.
What are your goals for March?